By Muhammad Mamman
— Two senators representing Taraba State have officially defected from Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in the latest shift within the country’s political landscape.
The lawmakers — Haruna Manu, who represents Taraba Central, and Shuaibu Lau of Taraba North — announced their decision on Tuesday on the floor of the Senate.
Their defection was formally communicated through separate letters read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, where both lawmakers cited internal divisions and unresolved leadership crises within the PDP as key reasons for their exit.
Akpabio welcomed the senators to the APC, describing their move as a sign of growing confidence in the ruling party, while APC lawmakers applauded the development.
The PDP, however, has repeatedly accused the APC-led federal government of using state institutions to pressure opposition figures into defecting — claims the government denies.
The latest defections further weaken the PDP’s presence in the upper chamber and strengthen the APC’s majority, amid ongoing political realignments ahead of future elections.
Nigeria has witnessed a wave of cross-party defections in recent months, raising concerns among analysts about the stability of the country’s multi-party democracy and the shrinking space for effective opposition.
